Halifax woman gets bail in human trafficking case

Tashlynn Sheila Marie Shaw, 23, is led into Halifax provincial court Monday for a bail hearing on human trafficking charges. Shaw was released on a $10,000 recognizance with two sureties and house arrest conditions. (TIM KROCHAK / Staff)

A Halifax woman charged with human trafficking has been granted bail.

A bail hearing was held Monday in Halifax provincial court for Tashlynn Sheila Marie Shaw, 23.

After hearing a summary of the evidence against Shaw and lawyers’ submissions, Judge Michael Sherar decided she did not have to remain in custody.

Sherar released Shaw on a $10,000 recognizance with two sureties — her father and stepmother — and house arrest conditions.

Shaw was arrested last week on allegations of coercing two girls under the age of 16 to work in the sex trade. She was arraigned last Thursday on 21 charges, including trafficking a person under 18, unlawfully receiving a financial or material benefit, sexual interference and exercising control over someone’s movements to aid in prostitution.

The court information alleges Shaw threatened to break one of the girls’ legs to compel her to engage in prostitution.

Shaw is also charged with living off the avails of prostitution, counselling a person under 18 to get involved in prostitution, using intimidation or coercion on someone under 18 to engage in prostitution, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, assault with a weapon (a steak knife and a baton), luring a child, assault causing bodily harm, forcible confinement and assault.

Shaw shook her head and rolled her eyes as the Crown attorney outlined the evidence Monday. The evidence and submissions from the hearing are covered by a publication ban.

The judge ordered Shaw to live at her father’s house on Drumdonald Road in Cowie Hill. She can only leave the residence for medical and legal appointments and must be with a surety.

Shaw is not allowed to contact the complainants, have any weapons and possess or consume alcohol or drugs. The judge also prohibited her from having a cellphone or pager and from using the Internet. He directed her father and stepmom to have their Internet service disconnected.

Shaw will return to court July 16. She is the third woman arrested in the Halifax area since February on allegations of forcing young girls into prostitution.

“These types of offences have a cancerous effect on youth in the Halifax community and Nova Scotia,” prosecutor Brian Cox told reporters. “They are predatory in nature.

“The people who are convicted of these types of offences prey upon the young and the vulnerable, … who have exposure to drugs and alcohol at an early age, who come from broken homes and who are often living on the street.

“That’s not to say that any of those factors are present in this case, but that’s certainly why the court and also Parliament view them as grave offences indeed.”